Category Archives: Treatment

Chemotherapy confusion

Posted in Bumpboobs, Chemotherapy, Treatment by

Another day. This makes for my third session of chemo; once this weekend is over, there will be only 13 treatments left. (I look forward to single digits).

Yesterday we went to chemo treatment area for a weigh in and blood test, followed by a meeting with the oncologist. The nurses had a time with my arm – apparently the vein wouldn’t bleed, so they called in an expert to ‘find blood’. (Honestly, sometimes it sounds like they are drilling for oil) She was an expert and found it easily. However, the previous nurse I met, after not producing the blood, let slip that it’s around this time the veins start giving trouble.

Hmm, so now I am drinking a big mug of tea and wrapped in a warm bathrobe. Apparently a lot of liquid and being warm helps with finding veins.

My weight has dropped . . . even more from last time. I guess I’ve lost about 3-4 kilograms so far, despite my Hungarian family stopping by and encouraging me to ‘eat, eat’ and making dishes with pasta, bacon, salami and sour cream all together. I’ve never minded being thin, but now could really do with additional weight. However, the doctor didn’t seemed worried. Weight loss can be normal in chemotherapy.

But none of that stressed me out too badly. Nope, instead it was being told by the oncologist that the drug they prescribed me last time (the one that suppressed my vomiting) was a fluke occurrence. Apparently it is too expensive to be prescribed to patients in my chemo category, and I only received it because the mistake wasn’t noticed in time by the pharmacy. So, the oncologist has placed a request with a higher-up to approve the prescription. I won’t find out till today when I go in if the treatment was approved.

Blah – the idea of vomiting 16 times in a weekend (if drug is not approved) sent me into an immediate funk, and it took great efforts of my mom and Zsolt to pull me out. Here are the bright sides:

The drug is expensive, but not back breaking . . . if we don’t get it this time, we can buy it in the future.

I’ve been prescribed a different anti-sickness drug which I’ve never tried, so maybe this new drug combined with the steroid will do the trick. I hope so.

During the first round of chemo the pharmacy lady told not to take the drugs till ‘tomorrow’ (i.e. the day after chemo). But ‘tomorrow’ was way too late and I was already on a rollercoaster of sick. This time I take whatever drugs given today. It will make a difference.

Lastly – if I do get this expensive drug, well . . . for my second round I was given incorrect instructions (again). I was meant to take it with the steroid (not provided) – but instead I took it all alone. Even alone this expensive drug helped, so combined with other drugs this time (if I get it), I suspect a real difference could be made.

Anyhow I’m hopeful because otherwise I’m despairing. Here come three days of either total crap, being nauseated, or –hopefully- just needing to sleep all the time. We’ll see. It’s still a learning process, and it does get better after those first few days.

It’s 9.23 and my appointment is at 11.30. I need to go and eat – eat, eat – as my mother-in-law, Anna says.

Whew! Here I go!

Just Dance

Posted in Bumpboobs, Chemotherapy, Fun, Treatment by

Last week Zsolt and I gifted Anita with a new Wii game: Just Dance. (They  – Anita, Berci, Anna and László – have given us so many wonderful gifts; in fact I’m wearing the new blue bathrobe from Anita and Berci right now, and this morning I woke up in the incredible sheets Anna and László made possible. So our gifts to them seem quite small in comparison, but it’s all done with love.)


Has anyone played this awesome game? I guess it’s comparible to games like Rock Band etc, in that multiple players need to hit certain movement according to the screen instructions. For Just Dance there are different song choices, and then a dancer on the screen who acts out the moves (dances). And we, as the Wii players, hold the remote in our hands and follow along.

Awesome. You know why theWii is so incredible? Because there is no age limit, no skill qualification, no language barrier. The whole family was up and dancing – I have video proof, which will not (never) be posted online.  Instead I’ll post some other ladies to illustrate my point. . . . (point: it’s fun!)

Who cares about being tired when Ring my bell is blasting through the speakers, or Can’t touch this, or Surfing Bird? As a post-chemo exercise, this game is excellent.

So, family fun with the Wii. And I just loved seeing my father-in-law, László cut a rug. Great.

Strike of the mouth sores

Posted in Bumpboobs, Chemotherapy, Treatment by

A leisurely trip through the country side. Nothing except the birds, bees, and the sound of two voices travelling inside a small 2003 Peugeot. Let’s listen in as the couple approaches a roundabout:


“Which exit do I take?”

“Third.”

“This one?”

“No – one.”

“This one?”

“No – two.  Here, this next one.”

“This one?”

“Yes – three.”

“Here?”

“Here.”

“Here?”

“Here!”

And so on, roundabout after roundabout. Our GPS confused us so badly today we got lost in our own city centre, got lost on the highway detour, and got lost in the countryside. We got lost so many times, even the road map turned against us. And all the while Zsolt’s family followed us in the car behind. They must have thought we were nuts.

But it was a very pretty drive. The New Forest is a lovely place. Today was a typically English day with the sweeping light rain and greyness all around, which might be depressing if you are stuck at home with a foggy window, but it’s striking as you drive along Hardy-esque landscapes.

The tricky bit today was that I ate a giant scone mid afternoon, and it gave me mouth sores. I’m sure it was the scone – we were sitting round the cafe table, spreading the jams and cream, and about half way through my scone it became less and less comfortable to eat. Forward thirty minutes and my mouth was full of sores. Blah, why does something so sweet have to be so bad? Can’t sugar and cream and white flour be healthy for the body?

Anyhow, my mom is helping me cope with the sores. It’s gotten a bit tricky to talk, but I am hoping the right supplements, some sleep and an occasional dose of warm salt water will make the difference.

And speaking of sleep . . . I’m outta here.

Update: I wrote this blog last night but didn’t publish it then. Today the sores are getting better but still present. However, I can talk and eat which is a great improvement. Still need to keep rinsing, supplementing, and all that jazz. What a freaking pain! Mind you, despite the sores, it was so good to get out of the apartment. Thank goodness for that.